Jim Gavin fears the 70 minute game Meath are targeting could be coming against his Dublin side.

The Royals were well in the game at half-time when the sides met in last year’s Leinster decider.

But they faded badly as the Dubs grew in stature in what was their first real test on their way to All-Ireland glory. By the end there were seven points between the sides.

Meath boss Mick O’Dowd has worked towards a more complete performance since then and, when the old rivals meet in the provincial decider for the third successive time on Sunday, Gavin expects Meath to be able to go the distance.

“Obviously it’s an area they sought themselves to go after - and they have improved in that area,” acknowledged the Dubs supremo.

“Last year was a good contest, a very tight game. They contested heavily in midfield and took some fantastic scores.

“It was just a ding-dong battle and I think we can expect the same.

“It probably is a stronger set of players and with another year of developement with their management team. They look impressive and it’s going to be a big ask for us.

“There are no guarantees in sport. We’ve seen the best teams in the world in a different sport (the World Cup) not having success - so it’s on a given day and any time Dublin play Meath, they can go either way.

“We’ve seen that in the past - form going into the game is irrelevant.”

What makes Gavin cautious about the counties’ latest collision is the goal threat that Meath possess.

As he’s quick to point out, the Royals have scored 9-29 in their two games in Leinster to date against Carlow and Kildare.

“They’re obviously able to get goals,” said the 43-year-old.

“They hurt Dublin back in 2010 and they demonstated that against Carlow, that ability to get goals and they also had multiple goal opportunities against Kildare.

Dublin's Paul Mannion has a shot blocked (Photo: Inpho)

“I thought they finished that game quite strong - Kildare were always going to come back at them but they looked quite comfortavble in the closing minutes and they closed it out in a professional manner.”

Gavin added: “They’ve been impressive in both games,9-29 is an impressive return in anybody’s book.

“They’re playing traditional Meath football - very solid in defence, very mobile in their half-back, midfield and half-forward area.

“They have multiple options up front, they’ve lots of pace and the can and have punished teams - both Carlow and Kildare. They saw out both games in a very professional manner.

“They had a very good run in the National League as well and it’s going to be a traditional Dublin-Meath game. They’re always good, honest, hard games of football.

“Both teams will really go hard at it, as we saw last year. Either team can win this game.”

While the emphasis in the modern game is on pace, the Dubs have dominated opponents thanks to their superior physical strength. It’s something that Laois and Wexford were unable to live with in the Blues’ opening championship fixtures.

But Gavin argues that Meath also have that sort of physical strength and it’s something that Kildare boss Jason Ryan highlighted after watching his side lose that battle in the semi-final.

“Meath have that,” he said. “But they’ve been there or thereabouts at minor and under-21 level, and these players haven’t just arrived overnight.

“We’ve known about them for a while having watched Meath play at underage level down through the years.

“They play a very robust brand of football - they’re tight in defence, get lots of bodies back and make it difficult.

“Kildare got maybe one shot on goal in 70 minutes of football - that’s a demonstration of how tight the Meath defence is.

“They play with great passion and will bring that to Croke Park in the Leinster final, as they always do against Dublin. It’s going to be a fascinating game.”